If you’re walking through the beautiful Kensington Gardens any time between now and March, make sure you stroll past Anish Kapoor’s “Turning The World Upside Down“. There are four different pieces, made of highly-reflective stainless steel, curved in different ways to distort the reflection of the gardens and sky in different ways.
Listen to a Londoner is a weekly interview with a Londoner – someone who lives in this city, born here or elsewhere. If you want to be interviewed, email littlelondonobservationist@hotmail.co.uk. Always looking for new volunteers.
Marsha Moore, 36
A native Canadian, Marsha has lived and worked in London for the past six years. Her first book, 24 Hours London (Prospera Publishing 2009), was inspired by her love for her adopted city.
LLO: Where are you from originally, how did you end up in London and how long have you been in this fabulous city?
MM: I’m from Canada originally. I came to London six years ago as a teacher, met my husband here, got married and stayed! I miss Canada but London is home to me now. As a full-time writer, it’s got a fantastic literary scene and I’ve been able to meet and network with lots of other writers.
LLO: As the author of 24 Hours London and 24 Hours Paris, which city do you prefer and why?
MM: Paris is such a beautiful city that you can’t help but be stunned by how perfectly groomed it appears to be. It reminds me of entering my mother’s room as a child – you’re fascinated by everything but afraid to touch it unless you somehow mess it up. London is greyer, less appealing visually, and less ordered, but you feel somehow like you can dig in and get your hands dirty. So I have to say – as much as I like Paris – I love living in London.
LLO: I’ve got 24 hours to kill in London and want to get off the tourist track. What do you suggest?
MM: While it’s not exactly secret, wandering along the Thames on the Southbank – preferably in good weather – is one of my favourite things to do. You’ve got the British Film Institute, The National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall and the Tate Modern all within a kilometer, as well as brilliant views over the river! London’s markets also can’t be missed – try Spitalfields and Columbia Road on a Sunday for flowers to frou frou (and don’t miss out Brick Lane along the way), and Borough Market for food. In the north of the city is Hampstead Heath, where you can wander through the trees, fly a kite and take a dip in a pond…and forget you’re in a mega-metropolis!
LLO: What’s your favourite late-night London venue/activity?
MM: The energy in Soho is so amazing I could soak it up all night! The buzz of the streets, the swarms of crowds outside West End theatres… for me, it’s what London is all about. There are loads of great spots in Soho but I like LAB for drinks, Pulcinella for pizza and Balans for late-night (or early morning!) dinners. The Curzon also has midnight cinema once a month, where you can chill out and watch films until morning.
LLO: Where in London do you go for new inspiration if writer’s block strikes?
MM: London has so many great green spaces and I always find a wander through them clears my head! I love the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, in particular – there’s nothing better than grabbing a coffee at the Lido and watching the boats drift up and down. But my favourite writing spot is my office, where I can stare out the window for hours watching the double-deckers storm by and absorbing the rhythm of the street.
LLO: Favourite bookshop in the capital and why?
MM: London’s bursting with brilliant bookshops – John Sandoe and Foyles, to name a few – but my favourite has to be Daunt. Enter here and you feel like you’ve entered a shrine to the printed word! Books are arranged by country – you can seek out your interest and browse the novels, non-fiction and guides with awe. The store also has branches in Holland Park, Chelsea, Belsize Park and Hampstead, but it is the Marylebone store – located in an original Edwardian bookstore – that is truly amazing.
LLO: What’s the best part about living in your postcode?
MM: I live in Kensington, and I love it! It has brash new shops and restaurants mixed with small independent ones that look like they’ve been around for ages. Pubs are tucked away off busy pavements, and elegant terraced houses with private squares line the streets. You get a sense of what the city must have been like a hundred years ago. You’re also close to Kensington Gardens – where you can lounge by the gazebo in the summer and listen to music – and Holland Park, with its wonderful peacocks.
LLO: Best London discovery while working on your book?
MM: I’ve found out so many great things about the city while working on the book that it’s hard to narrow it down! But one of my favourite locations is Lower Marsh Street, close to Waterloo. I’d been to the station so many times, but I had no idea this small street – full of gems like I Knit London (where you can drink beer and knit) and Scooterworks (a café in a former repair shop) – existed!
LLO: Which London-based writers do you most admire?
MM: Tough question! I am massive fan of chick lit (I have my own chick-lit novel being published next year), and London has provided a great setting for many chick-lit novels. Helen Fielding, the author of Bridget Jones’ Diary, used to live in Notting Hill. Sophie Kinsella, who lives just outside of London, is also one of my favourites. I love to see the city through the eyes of their main characters.
LLO: Most unusual restaurant or pub you’ve come across that’s worth a visit?
MM: Definitely has to be Ye Olde Mitre! Walk down Hatton Garden and between numbers 8 and 10, you’ll come to an arched entryway into an alley with a sign stating ‘Ye Olde Mitre 1546’. Enter the alley and you’ll see a pub many locals have yet to discover. Although the current building only dates back to the eighteenth century, the pub has existed since 1547 when it was built to serve the servants of the nearby Palace of the Bishops of Ely. The trunk of a cherry tree has been preserved in the corner of the bar, and legend has it that Elizabeth I danced the maypole around it!
Thanks Marsha!
For more Listen to a Londoner posts, click here.
Listen to a Londoner is a weekly interview with a Londoner – someone who lives in this city, born here or elsewhere. If you want to be interviewed, email littlelondonobservationist@hotmail.co.uk. Always looking for new volunteers.
Janine Clements, 37
Janine Clements is a freelance journalist, travel expert and mummy blogger who has been living in London for 12 years. She has lived in Holloway, Maida Vale, Westminster and now Fulham, where she has lived for four years with her husband and 2-year-old daughter.
LLO: Living in London for 12 years, what are the best and worst changes you’ve seen in the city?
JC: The increase in gun and knife crime and scary dogs, but better transport facilities and better shopping with the arrival of Westfield. All the attractions have definitely become much better at catering for young children.
LLO: Top three favourite things about living in Fulham?
JC: Lots to do for children (e.g. Fulham Palace, Coffee and Crayons, Gambados, various parks). It’s got great pubs such as The White Horse and The Sands End. There are lots of families around so there is a real community feel.
LLO: Tell us a bit about your blog http://21stcenturymummy.com.
JC: My inspiration from my blog came from the fact I love writing. I decided to set up a blog that was an account of my take on life as a modern-day mum, as my daughter, who is two, grows up (and I grow older!). I also wanted to help other mums by providing useful information, advice and opinions, reviews and an insight into parenthood for other people to read. My blog covers everything from news and reviews of the latest products to family travel.
LLO: Do you think London is a child-friendly city and why (or if not, what would make it more so)?
JC: London is an exciting and vibrant city, and yes, I think most parts are very child-friendly, there’s so much to do for all age groups.
LLO: If I had one day in London and wanted to explore the bits that don’t show up in the guidebooks, where would you recommend?
JC: The parks are all fabulous. I love Holland Park, St. James Park and Kensington Palace Gardens. Battersea Park Zoo is fun for younger kids.
LLO: As a travel enthusiast, have you found a place in London you can go to feel like you’ve travelled without actually having left the city?
JC: I’ve always been a big fan of Little Venice and its waterways and canal boats. It is so peaceful and very different from inner London. Or further out is Richmond Park, acres upon acres of parkland and loads of deer.
LLO: What’s your favourite kid-friendly restaurant in London and another one you love when you’ve got a child-free night out?
JC: Konnigans in Wandsworth is great for brunch. It’s got a relaxed atmosphere, good food and great kid’s menu. For the two of us it would be Tsunami, a fabulous Japanese restaurant. There’s one near Tottenham Court Road and another in Clapham.
LLO: Do you have any advice for travelling mums about to pop over to London for a week with the kids?
JC: There are so many things for kids. Popular things to do include Buckingham Palace, the London Aquarium, and the Science Museum. Depending on the age of your kids, a West End show is a great idea. Hamleys or the toy shop at Harrods is also fun. When it’s sunny, the parks are fabulous too.
LLO: Favourite London discovery or a place you’ve heard is really cool but haven’t had a chance to check it out yet?
JC: I’ve heard the Victoria and Albert Museum is great for kids, but I haven’t been yet.
LLO: Describe your perfect Spring Saturday in London.
JC: Head outdoors if it’s sunny, so my 2-year-old can run around and burn off some energy. Somewhere like Fulham Palace or Cannzaro House (in Wimbledon) or Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park. Each has a nice cafe to grab lunch at too.
Thanks Janine!
For more Listen to a Londoner posts, click here.
Listen to a Londoner is a weekly interview with a Londoner – someone who lives in this city, born here or elsewhere. If you want to be interviewed, email littlelondonobservationist@hotmail.co.uk. Always looking for new volunteers.
Marguerite O’sullivan with daughter Zia
Marguerite O’sullivan lives in West Kensington with her 4-year-old daughter Zia.
She is currently a freelance writer and publishes her own blog Mythreefootstylist.
LLO: What brought you to London three years ago?
MO: I came over from Australia with my daughter to accompany my then partner who was working on a UK film project.
LLO: You recently completed a voluntary internship with the award-winning GAIL’s Bread, one of the few remaining independent bread shops in the UK. Why should we stop in? What have they got to offer?
MO: Wow, that is a hard one; there are so many delicious treats on offer! If I really had to choose it would definitely be GAIL’s amazing chocolate brownies. I would recommend anyone to stop by GAIL’s to experience true artisan food that not only tastes great but (because it’s all handmade and free from all the nasty stuff) is healthy too.
LLO: What are your other favourite independent shops in London?
MO: Their Nibs is great for stylish children’s clothing; Yates Buchanan has great vintage accessories; The Cloth Shop has the most unusual array of contemporary and vintage European textiles.
LLO: Tell us about your blog, My Three Foot Stylist.
MO: I’ve always had an interest in design, textiles and style which I inherited from my mother; because I also have an interest in scribing, it seemed natural to put the two together in a blog. I gave it that title because my 4-year-old daughter has taken to styling me each morning!
LLO: What’s the best thing about living in your postcode?
MO: The gorgeous parks, including Holland Park and Kensington Gardens, the child-friendly cafes and the quirky shops.
LLO: Who are your favourite London-based designers?
MO: Margo, which is great for stylish but original pieces; Petra Boase, for eclectic framed prints and T-shirts; Stella McCartney, whose current line of children’s clothes for GAP is stylish yet affordable.
LLO: Describe your perfect London day.
MO: I’d start by heading to GAIL’s on Portobello Rd for a dairy-free muffin and fresh OJ; I’d then wander down to Portobello Green market to nab a bargain. Weather permitting; I’d then make my way to Grand Union canal for a leisurely walk towards the gorgeous Cafe de Ville restaurant in Little Venice where I would stop for a light supper as the sun sets.
LLO: Working in the food industry, can you recommend a few favourite London restaurants?
MO: If I had my choice I would eat at L’etranger every week, but with a 4-year-old child to cater for, my usual haunts are GBK and Prezzo because of their wonderful children’s offerings.
LLO: What’s your favourite London discovery?
MO: The little park and stream near Station Road in Barnes.
LLO: If I had one day in London and wanted to wander off the beaten path, where would you send me?
MO: I would direct you to Richmond Park for a spot of deer spotting followed by a picnic at Pen Ponds.
Thanks Marguerite!
For more Listen to a Londoner posts, click here.
In the true spirit of a London Observationist, dusty sevens snapped these baby owls in a tree in Kensington Gardens, after much neck-craning, of course.
And while waiting for the bus, maggie jones caught this hungry little squirrel snooping in the bin.
With Spring in full swing and everyone out and about, if you’ve captured any London wildlife you’d like to share, post it in the pool.
Little London Observationist 